Entertainment

Rewinding ‘The O.C.’: Counting Down the Show’s Most Iconic Moments on August 5, 2023 at 4:01 pm Us Weekly

Published

2 years ago

August 5, 2023

Tate Donovan, Rachel Bilson, Mischa Barton, Melinda Clarke, Benjamin McKenzie, Peter Gallagher, Kelly Rowan, Adam Brody, and Chris Carmack. Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

The O.C. premiered more than two decades ago — but California keeps Us coming back for more.

The Fox series, which ran from August 2003 to February 2007, followed the secretly scandalous lives of families in affluent Newport Beach, California. After Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a teenager from the wrong side of the tracks in Chino, gets taken in by Sandy and Kirsten Cohen (Kelly Rowan and Peter Gallagher), he finds himself bonding with their sarcastically offbeat son, Seth (Adam Brody), and falling in love with the mysterious girl next door, Marissa Cooper (Mischa Barton).

Despite the sun setting on the Cohen family after only four seasons, The O.C. remains part of the pop culture zeitgeist. In a world of reboots and revivals, some members of the cast think the show could make a comeback.

“I’ve always said anything that [creators] Josh [Schwartz] and Stephanie [Savage] want to do, I’m on board for, but it’s kind of hard to figure out what you’d do with the characters and where they would be,” Rachel Bilson, who portrayed Seth’s love interest, Summer Roberts — and dated Brody in real life while filming — told Nylon in April 2021. “I will say if they ever wanted to do it, I would do it. But I just don’t know where you go [with the plot].”

Whether the series makes a return to the small screen or not, there’s no denying that The O.C. helped shape the genre of teen drama into what it is today.

Keep scrolling for The O.C.’s 10 most iconic moments:

Welcome to the O.C., Bitch!

There was no better way to introduce viewers — or Ryan Atwood — into the world of Newport Beach than through Luke (Chris Carmack) punching him in the face on the beach and yelling, “Welcome to the O.C., bitch!” in the series pilot.

While Luke eventually became a lovable, musically inclined Golden Retriever of a character, he started out as Marissa’s stereotypical water polo-loving jock of a boyfriend that cheated on her multiple times. Oh Luke, how we loathed thee.

YouTube

New Year’s Eve with Ryan and Marissa – and Oliver’s Gun Moment

What’s more romantic than a New Year’s Eve kiss? One that’s under a timer. Iconic TV couple status was cemented in season 1 episode 14 when Ryan rushed to find Marissa before the clock struck midnight — and she was forced to share a smooch with creepy Oliver (Taylor Handley) instead. Cue the fireworks and the confetti!

But wait! Ryan and Marissa weren’t out of the woods yet. (Were they ever?) The twosome faced down Oliver with a gun mere episodes later when his overwhelming obsession with Marissa got the best of him. While the dramatic moment had viewers on the edge of their seats, everyone was mostly just happy to see Oliver gone for good.

Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

The Tijuana Overdose

The gang’s trip to Tijuana in season 1 episode 7 cemented Marissa, Ryan, Seth and Summer as the core four of The O.C. — but they paid the price when Marissa, overwhelmed by her parents’ divorce and seeing her boyfriend, Luke, cheating on her, overdoses on pills.

The complex and delicate nature of Marissa’s story juxtaposed with the lighter moments of the episode proved The O.C. was something special — and gave fans a clear idea of who the characters would be moving forward. Ryan’s now-famous walk down the alley with a passed-out Marissa in his arms, which would also become a staple of the series, would also be revisited again during her season 3 death.

Marissa Shoots Trey

It’s the “whatcha say” heard around the world. In the climactic final moments of the season 2 finale, Marissa shoots Trey (Logan Marshall-Green) — who, while high on coke, tried to rape her in an earlier episode — to stop him from killing Ryan. While the moment kickstarted what would be a long, arduous and inarguably flat third season, it was quite the cliffhanger.

The scene itself — which played out to the sound of Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap — has lived on in the meme-ified internet culture for decades.

Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Marissa and Alex Get Together

While queer representation is on the rise in media today, seeing two women romantically linked on screen — in a way that wasn’t fetishized — was a defining moment for teen dramas and TV in general. The two girls, who developed legitimate feelings for one another in season 2, got a focus similar to any heterosexual romantic relationship in the series that didn’t involve two members of the core four.

Still, not everything about the Alex (Olivia Wilde) and Marissa story line was perfect. The show turned Alex into a jealous, unhinged girlfriend when it was ready to reunite Marissa and Ryan. The series also dropped exploring Marissa’s sexuality entirely after Alex’s exit. For its time, however, it was a refreshing approach from a cable TV series in an otherwise reductive media landscape.

Seth Declares His Love on a Coffee Cart

Let’s be honest — there are an endless amount of epic moments between Seth and Summer throughout The O.C.’s four seasons, but Seth’s initial, very public, declaration of love stands out as a classic.

While the pair started dating in the back half of season one after a turbulent love triangle with Anna (Samaire Armstrong), Summer feels uneasy about being open about her new romance. She initially asks Seth to keep the relationship on the down low, but he refuses, jumping on a coffee cart in the middle of school to announce his love for her. After asking Summer to join him, she climbs up with him and the two lock lips in front of their classmates.

Summer would later recreate the grand gesture in season 3 — but nothing beat the original triumphant moment where Seth officially gets the girl he’s been pining over for years.

Chrismukkah

The TV show that sparked an entirely new holiday. Not knowing how to raise him — Jewish or Christian — Kirsten and Sandy let Seth make up his own religion. That included Chrismukkah, a combination of both Christmas and Hanukkah that gets introduced in season 1 episode 13.

“Who wouldn’t want “eight days of presents, followed by one day of many presents?” Seth asks Ryan when showing him how the Cohens celebrate. The fun-filled festivities, like many of the other O.C. runners, would make a return in future seasons.

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The Upside Down ‘Spider-Man’ Kiss

While the coffee cart was cute, Seth and Summer’s upside-down Spider-Man kiss may go down as the show’s most romantic moment. After being apart for most of season 2, Summer realizes she wants to be with Seth before leaving on a trip to Italy with boyfriend Zach (Michael Cassidy). Seth, for his part, is trying to fix the TV cable during a thunderstorm — classic Seth — and finds himself dangling upside down from the roof.

Summer eventually shows up to save him, but not before she peels down his Spider-Man mask, which Seth was wearing to stay dry, and emulates the famous Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst smooch from the 2002 movie.

“What are you doing here?” Seth asks as Matt Pond PA’s cover of “Champagne Supernova” plays in the background. “What do you think, Cohen?” Summer responds.

Warner Bros Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock

Seth and Summer’s Wedding

The duo’s nuptials only take up brief seconds of The O.C.’s series finale, but still feel like the ultimate payoff for fans of the couple who have watched them go from enemies to friends to lovers and back again.

The intimate ceremony — which was shot shortly after Bilson and Brody called it quits in real life — sees the pair reuniting after going on their separate journeys to pursue their dreams and even features. The scene even features Summer sticking her tongue out while walking down the aisle as Seth rolls his eyes – a sweet and sardonic moment that fits them perfectly. The wedding also sees Ryan and Taylor (Autumn Reeser) share a longing glance — hinting that those two might be endgame, too.

Marissa’s Death

Marissa Cooper’s journey was always a tragic one, but her death was the series’ most devastating moment by far. With a hopeful future just ahead, Marissa gets tracked down by her vengeful ex Volchuck (Cam Gigandet) while en route to the airport with Ryan. The car chase ends in a fatal explosion which leads to Marissa dying in Ryan’s arms.

Marissa’s heartbreaking last words to Ryan? “I love you.” It’s OK, we’re crying, too.

The O.C. premiered more than two decades ago — but California keeps Us coming back for more. The Fox series, which ran from August 2003 to February 2007, followed the secretly scandalous lives of families in affluent Newport Beach, California. After Ryan Atwood (Ben McKenzie), a teenager from the wrong side of the tracks in Chino, gets

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Entertainment

California Bans AI Clones from Replacing Real Talent

Published

2 days ago

October 14, 2025

Bolanle Media Staff

California just made a dramatic stand for human creativity, defeating the threat of AI actor clones with a sweeping new law that puts people—not algorithms—back in the Hollywood spotlight. With the stroke of Governor Gavin Newsom’s pen in October 2025, the state has sent a clear message to studios, tech companies, and the world: entertainment’s heart belongs to those who create and perform, not to digital facsimiles.

California Draws a Hard Line: No More AI Clones

For months, the entertainment industry has been divided over the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. Studios, lured by promises of cost-cutting and creative flexibility, have invested in software that can mimic an actor’s face, voice, and even emotional range. But for performers, this wave of synthetic reproduction has triggered alarm—encouraged by chilling stories of deepfakes, unauthorized digital doubles, and contracts that let studios reuse a star’s likeness indefinitely, sometimes without pay or approval.

The new California law, anchored by AB 2602 and AB 1836, changes everything:

Every contract must explicitly detail how studios can use digital replicas or voice models, preventing once-common “blank check” agreements that overlooked this risk.
No one—not studios nor streaming giants—can create or release AI-generated clones of an actor, living or dead, without clear, written consent from the performer or their estate.
The law gives families new powers to defend loved ones from posthumous deepfake exploitation, closing painful loopholes that once let virtual versions of late icons appear in new ads, films, or games.

Actors Celebrate a Major Victory

The legislation rides the momentum of the recent SAG-AFTRA strike, where real-life talent demanded control over their own digital destinies. Leaders say these protections will empower artists to negotiate fair contracts and refuse participation in projects that cross ethical lines, restoring dignity and choice in an industry threatened by silent algorithms.

Stars, unions, and advocacy groups are hailing the law as the most robust defense yet against unwanted AI replications.

As one actor put it, “This isn’t just about money—it’s about identity, legacy, and respect for real artists in a synthetic age.”

A New Chapter for the Entertainment Industry

California’s move isn’t just a victory for local talent—it’s a warning shot to studios everywhere. Companies will now be forced to rethink production pipelines, consult legal counsel, and obtain proper clearance before digitally cloning anyone. Global entertainment platforms and tech developers will need to comply if they want to do business in the world’s entertainment capital.

These laws also set a template likely to ripple through other creative fields, from musicians whose voices can be synthesized to writers whose work could be mimicked by generative AI. For now, California performers finally have a powerful shield, ready to fight for the right to shape their own public image.

Conclusion: Human Talent Takes Center Stage

With its no-nonsense ban on AI actor clones, California draws a bold line, championing the work, likeness, and very humanity of its creative stars. It’s a landmark step that forces the entertainment industry to choose: respect real talent, or face real consequences. The age of the consentless digital double is over—human performers remain the true source of Hollywood magic.

Entertainment

Chaos and Comedy: Darby Kingman’s “Camp Wackapoo: Rise of Glog”

Published

3 days ago

October 13, 2025

Bolanle Media Staff

Darby Kingman’s “Camp Wackapoo: Rise of Glog” redefines summer camp comedy with a wild, energetic story about ambition, chaos, and the joy of embracing the unexpected. The film centers on a relentlessly competitive camp counselor who’s determined to finish first—only to face a motley crew of unruly campers and a summer unlike any other.

As Darby puts it, “Not everything is that deep. It really honestly was to make people laugh. She has all these kids that are not working with her and she’s just losing her mind. It’s crazy, silly, goofy, and it was a blast.”

What started as a simple scene for Darby’s acting reel evolved into a full-fledged film with encouragement from her mentor at Debbie Reynolds Acting School. Darby dove into every role—writing, directing, starring, and meticulously preparing each prop and costume. “Plan and prepare, but also be flexible and ready to be in the moment—that’s when the magic happens,” she advises.

Working with a handpicked cast of her own dance students, Darby built an atmosphere of real teamwork and camaraderie. She credits the “precious” energy of her young cast, her creative director of photography, and the overall spirit of her production team for turning the project into something bigger than herself. Her experience is an inspiring blueprint for indie filmmakers:

“Take initiative and control of your career. You can’t just sit around and wait for somebody to pick you. Figure out what you’re good at and go for it. Create something that brings joy to others.”

Her production motto? “Preparation is key, but you have to be ready to go with the flow—that’s when the magic happens.” Darby’s fearless creativity, focus on collaboration, and love for comedy shine throughout “Camp Wackapoo: Rise of Glog.” It’s more than just a camp satire—it’s a heartfelt testament to hard work, original humor, and leadership from the ground up: “People need to laugh right now. That’s a win.”

Catch “Camp Wackapoo: Rise of Glog” and experience Darby’s infectious energy and comic genius at the Deluxe Theatre on November 1, 2025. Get your tickets now at Houstoncomedyfilmfestival.com.

Entertainment

Diane Keaton Dies at 79

Published

3 days ago

October 13, 2025

Bolanle Media Staff

The world of film and entertainment is mourning the loss of Diane Keaton, an Oscar-winning actress renowned for her enduring talent, individuality, and influence on generations of performers and fans. Keaton died at the age of 79 in California on Saturday, October 11, 2025, her family confirmed. Details remain private, with her family requesting privacy as they grieve this profound loss.

A Distinctive Talent

Diane Keaton rose to fame in the 1970s through a series of memorable roles, most notably as Kay Adams in “The Godfather” trilogy and as the quirky, unforgettable lead in Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall,” for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her performances in films like “The First Wives Club,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” and the “Book Club” series solidified her reputation as an actress with unique comedic timing and dramatic depth. Keaton was celebrated not only for her artistry but also for her androgynous fashion sense, characterized by menswear-inspired looks, hats, and an easy, effortless style that influenced generations.

Legacy and Tributes

Following the news of her passing, tributes poured in from Hollywood and beyond. Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Jane Fonda were among the countless stars who expressed devastation and admiration for Keaton’s incomparable legacy. Hawn recalled their friendship and collaborations, writing: “Diane, we aren’t ready to lose you…you stole the hearts of the world and shared your genius with millions”. Midler echoed the sentiment, praising Keaton as “brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary” and a truly original presence in Hollywood.

Private Struggles and Final Months

Though fiercely independent and known for her openness, Keaton kept her declining health private in her final months. Friends and neighbors noticed her retreat from public life and social media, and she was recently seen less often in her Brentwood neighborhood. In the past, Keaton candidly discussed her ongoing battles with skin cancer and bulimia, openly advocating for personal health and authenticity.

Remembering Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton leaves behind a legacy defined by her fearless performances, unique style, and enduring influence on the arts. She is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke. As Hollywood and her global fanbase mourn, her pioneering spirit and unmistakable voice will continue to inspire generations.